Victor Oladipo praises Russell Westbrook during career year: 'I learned so much from him'

In case you’ve missed it, Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis are both having stellar years for the Pacers, who enter play on November 29 a surprising 12-9.

Pegged by many as a lottery-bound team, general manager Kevin Pritchard took a lot of heat for trading Paul George to the Thunder in exchange for the two players. Most felt that Oladipo and Sabonis didn’t represent an appropriate haul for George—one of the top two-way players in the league.

Last year, Oladipo spent the majority of his time spotting up from the perimeter and watching Russell Westbrook break defenses down. It was a new role for him. Throughout his basketball life, he’d always been the one tasked with carrying the load.

“It was definitely something I had to adjust to,” Oladipo says. “I wouldn’t say it was hard, but it was something new for me.

Oladipo is adamant about having no issues with Westbrook—or his style of play. On the contrary, he calls Westbrook a close friend and attributes some the success he’s enjoyed this so far this season to spending a year watching him.

“I learned so much from Russ,” he says. “Just his mindset, how relentless he is, those are things I’ve definitely taken with me.”

Through 21 games, though, Oladipo is making a lot of people reconsider that stance.

He’s lost about 18 pounds since last May and is having a career year in Indianapolis. Aside from his body, it’s impossible to ignore the dramatic improvement Oladipo has made to his game.

Last season, playing mostly off of Russell Westbrook, Oladipo averaged 13.9 field goal attempts per game, second to Westbrook’s 24.9. That Westbrook dominated the ball usually meant that Oladipo was getting looks off of his penetration.

This season, as the primary scorer for the Pacers, Oladipo is taking 17.4 shots per game, and they’re more difficult since he’s the one being entrusted with the ball handling and play making responsibility. That makes the fact that he’s raised his field goal percentage from 44 percent last season to 47 percent this season fairly remarkable.

Still, it pales in comparison to the 10 percent jump he’s experienced from the three-point line. Although he’s still taking about five attempts from beyond the arc per game, he’s connecting on a whopping 46 percent of those looks, compared to last season’s 36 percent.

“I feel like I’m in a very comfortable situation now—the most comfortable I’ve ever been since I’ve been in the NBA,” Oladipo says. “Sometimes, a player might not be in the best situation, but people will still label you and judge you regardless….